Fastening assembly

ABSTRACT

A fastening assembly, connecting a first member and a second member, includes a fastening unit, a mounting portion, a connecting hole defined in the first member, and a mounting hole defined in the second member. The fastening unit includes a fastener and an elastic member. The fastener includes a cap and a post having a resisting portion. The mounting portion is formed on the first member and defines an opening and a sliding slot communicating with each other. The elastic member resists the mounting portion and the cap of the fastener. A part of the post passes through the connecting hole, engages with the second member and is received in the mounting portion via the opening and slidable in the sliding slot. The resisting portion retains the part of the post within the mounting portion.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure generally relates to device constructions, and particularly, to a fastening assembly.

2. Description of Related Art

A first member and a second member are often connected by a typical fastening assembly. The typical fastening assembly can include a bolt, a spring, a latching member, and an assembly hole defined in the first member. The bolt includes a threaded post and a cap. The spring and the latching member are slidably sleeved on the threaded post. The latching member includes a plurality of teeth at a periphery thereof. The threaded post runs through the assembly hole of the first member to engage with the second member. The teeth are impelled to engage with the assembly hole of the first member by external force.

However, the fastening assembly cannot be separated from the first member. In addition, if manufacturing precision of either member exceeds an allowable range, the assembly holes of the first member and the second member may not be aligned such that the first member and the second member cannot be connected by the fastening assembly.

Therefore, a fastening assembly is desired to overcome the described limitations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout several views, and all the views are schematic.

FIG. 1 is an isometric, assembled view of an embodiment of a fastening assembly connecting a first member and a second member.

FIG. 2 is an isometric, exploded view of the fastening assembly, the first member, and the second member of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross-section of the fastening assembly, the first member, and second member taken along line III-III of FIG. 1, showing the fastening assembly aligning with the first member and the second member.

FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 3, showing the fastening assembly connecting the first member with the second member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, an embodiment of a fastening assembly 100 is applied to connect a first member 10 and a second member 70. The fastening assembly 100 includes a fastening unit 30, a latching member 50, a mounting portion 13 formed on the first member 10, a connecting hole 11 defined in the first member 10, and a mounting hole 71 defined in the second member 70.

The first member 10 defines the connecting hole 11 and includes the mounting portion 13 corresponding to the connecting hole 11. The mounting portion 13 includes a sidewall 131 extending substantially perpendicularly from a periphery of the connecting hole 11, and a resisting wall 133 connected with the sidewall 131 and facing the connecting hole 11. The resisting wall 133 is substantially perpendicular to the sidewall 131. The mounting portion 13 includes an opening 135 defined in the sidewall 131 and a sliding slot 1331 defined in the resisting wall 133. The sliding slot 1331 communicates with the opening 135. In the illustrated embodiment, the sidewall 131 is U-shaped, thus defining the opening 135. Alternatively, the sidewall 131 may be any other shape accommodating the opening 135.

Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the fastening unit 30 includes a fastener 31 and an elastic member 33. The fastener 31 includes a cap 311 and a post 313 extending from the cap 311. The elastic member 33 is sleeved on the post 313. The cap 311 defines a receiving slot 3111 for receiving at least part of the elastic member 33. The post 313 includes a shaft portion 3131, an engaging portion 3133, and a resisting portion 3135 larger than and between the shaft portion 3131 and the engaging portion 3133. In the illustrated embodiment, the engaging portion 3133 is threaded.

The latching member 50 includes a base 51 and a fixing portion 53 extending from the base 51. The latching member 50 defines an engaging hole 55 extending through the base 51 and the fixing portion 53. The fixing portion 53 includes a plurality of teeth 531. In the illustrated embodiment, the engaging hole 55 is threaded. The second member 70 defines the mounting hole 71.

Referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, during connection of the first member 10 with the second member 70, the first member 10 and the second member 70 are positioned to approach each other and align the mounting hole 71 with the connecting hole 11. The teeth 531 of the latching member 50 are riveted in the second member 70 and correspond to the mounting hole 71. The post 313, sleeved with the elastic member 33, enters and slides in the sliding slot 1331 of the resisting wall 133 via the opening 135. The engaging portion 3133 and the resisting portion 3135 are received in the mounting portion 13. The cap 311, the elastic member 33, and the shaft portion 3131 are outside the mounting portion 13. The resisting portion 3135 resists the resisting wall 133 to prevent the fastening unit 30 from leaving the mounting portion 13 via the sliding slot 1331. The fastening unit 30 is impelled closer to the second member 70 as the fastening unit 30 slides relative to the mounting hole 71.

When the engaging portion 3133 contacts the engaging hole 55, the fastening unit 30 is rotated to engage with the latching member 50 fixed to the second member 70. Opposite ends of the elastic member 33 resist the cap 311 and the resisting wall 133, thus retaining the fastening unit 30 in position. The first member 10 and the second member 70 are thus connected. The fastening unit 30 may be rotated to a position in which an end of the cap 311 resists the resisting wall 133.

To facilitate separation of the first member 10 from the second member 70, the fastening unit 30 is rotated away from the latching member 50 so that the engaging portion 3133 of the fastener 31 disengages from the engaging hole 55 of the latching member 50. The fastening unit 30 may be detached from the first member 10 via the opening 135, a considerably simple and effective operation.

The connecting hole 11 is larger than the mounting hole 71, such that even if the connecting hole 11 and/or the mounting hole 71 deviate from functional positions within an allowable range, the connecting hole 11 of the first member 10 can still align with the mounting hole 71 of the second member 70. The fastening assembly 100 thus presents less manufacturing precision requirements for the first member 10 and the second member 70. In addition, a relative position of the engaging portion 3133 of the fastener 31 and the mounting hole 71 of the second member 70 can be clearly seen via the opening 135, which facilitates operation.

Alternatively, the mounting hole 71 may be threaded so that the latching member 50 may be omitted. The receiving slot 3111 may also be omitted and the elastic member 33 resists an end of the cap 311.

Finally, while various embodiments have been described and illustrated, the disclosure is not to be construed as being limited thereto. Various modifications can be made to the embodiments by those skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims. 

1. A fastening assembly for connecting a first member and a second member, comprising: a fastening unit comprising a fastener and an elastic member, the fastener comprising a cap and a post, the post comprising a resisting portion; a mounting portion formed on the first member, the mounting portion defining an opening and a sliding slot communicating with the opening; a connecting hole defined in the first member; and a mounting hole defined in the second member; wherein the elastic member resists the mounting portion and the cap of the fastener, and part of the post passes through the connecting hole, engaging the second member, received in the mounting portion via the opening and sliding in the sliding slot.
 2. The fastening assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting portion corresponds to the connecting hole, and comprises a sidewall extending from a periphery of the connecting hole and a resisting wall connected with the sidewall and facing the connecting hole.
 3. The fastening assembly of claim 2, wherein the opening is defined in the sidewall and the sliding slot is defined in the resisting wall.
 4. The fastening assembly of claim 1, wherein the elastic member is sleeved on the post between the mounting portion and the cap of the fastener.
 5. The fastening assembly of claim 4, wherein the cap of the fastener defines a receiving slot for receiving at least part of the elastic member.
 6. The fastening assembly of claim 5, wherein the post of the fastener further comprises a shaft portion and an engaging portion with the resisting portion therebetween.
 7. The fastening assembly of claim 6, further comprising a latching member fixed to the second member and comprising an engaging hole engaging the engaging portion of the fastener and aligned with the mounting hole of the second member.
 8. The fastening assembly of claim 7, wherein the latching member comprises a base and a fixing portion extending therefrom; the fixing portion comprising a plurality of teeth engaging with the second member.
 9. The fastening assembly of claim 1, wherein the connecting hole of the first member is larger than the mounting hole of the second hole.
 10. A fastening assembly, comprising: a fastening unit comprising a fastener and an elastic member, the fastener comprising a cap and a post, the post comprising a resisting portion and an engaging portion; and a mounting portion formed on the first member, the mounting portion defining an opening and a sliding slot communicating with the opening; wherein the engaging portion of the post enters the mounting portion via the opening and is slidable in the sliding slot, and the elastic member is disposed between the cap and the mounting portion.
 11. The fastening assembly of claim 10, wherein the mounting portion comprises a sidewall and a resisting wall connected with the sidewall.
 12. The fastening assembly of claim 11, wherein the opening is defined in the sidewall and the sliding slot is defined in the resisting wall.
 13. The fastening assembly of claim 10, wherein the cap of the fastener defines a receiving slot receiving at least part of the elastic member.
 14. The fastening assembly of claim 13, wherein the post of the fastener further comprises a shaft portion and an engaging portion with the resisting portion therebetween.
 15. The fastening assembly of claim 14, further comprising a latching member comprising an engaging hole engaging the engaging portion of the fastener.
 16. The fastening assembly of claim 15, wherein the latching member comprises a base and a fixing portion extending therefrom and comprising a plurality of teeth.
 17. A fastening assembly for connecting a first member and a second member, comprising: a connecting hole defined in the first member; a mounting hole defined in the second member, wherein the connecting hole is larger than the mounting hole along a first axis; a fastening unit comprising a fastener and an elastic member; and a mounting portion fixed to the first member; wherein part of the fastener engages in the connecting hole and the mounting portion and is held in the mounting portion and slidable along the first axis. 